The Vision of the Measuring Line

¹Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

²“Where are you going?” I asked.“To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.”

³Then the angel who was speaking with me went forth, and another angel came forward to meet him

⁴and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.

⁵For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’”

The Redemption of Zion

⁶“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD.

⁷“Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!”

⁸For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Meagainst the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the appleof His eye—

⁹I will surely wave My hand over them, so that they will become plunder for their own servants. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me.”

¹⁰“Shout for joy and be glad, O Daughter of Zion, for I am coming to dwell among you,” declares the LORD.

¹¹“On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.

¹²And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His portion in the Holy Land, and He will once again choose Jerusalem.

¹³Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

The Murder of Gedaliah

¹In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there.

²Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land.

³Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldeansoldiers who were there.

⁴On the second day after the murder of Gedaliah, when no one yet knew about it,

⁵eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.

⁶And Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went.When Ishmael encountered the men, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”

⁷And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.

⁸But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!” So he refrained from killing them with the others.

⁹Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he had struck down along with Gedaliah was a large one that King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

¹⁰Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah—the daughters of the king along with all the others who remained in Mizpah—over whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.

Johanan Rescues the Captives

¹¹When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed,

¹²they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. And they found him near the great pool in Gibeon.

¹³When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the army with him, they rejoiced,

¹⁴and all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah.

¹⁵But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and went to the Ammonites.

¹⁶Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him took the whole remnant of the people from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, women, children, and court officialshe had brought back from Gibeon.

¹⁷And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

¹⁸to escape the Chaldeans.For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

The Altar on Mount Ebal

¹Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all the commandments I am giving you today.

²And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster.

³Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you.

⁴And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster.

⁵Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.

⁶You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God.

⁷There you are to sacrifice your peace offerings, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God.

⁸And you shall write distinctly upon these stones all the words of this law.”

⁹Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the LORD your God.

¹⁰You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God and follow His commandments and statutes I am giving you today.”

Curses Pronounced from Ebal

¹¹On that day Moses commanded the people:

¹²“When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

¹³And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

¹⁴Then the Levites shall proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite:

¹⁵‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁶‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁷‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁸‘Cursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁹‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²⁰‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²¹‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²²‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²³‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²⁴‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²⁵‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

²⁶‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

¹Have mercy on me,O God,according to Your loving devotion;according to Your great compassion,blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me clean of my iniquityand cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,and my sin is always before me.

⁴Against You, You only, have I sinnedand done what is evil in Your sight,so that You may be proved right when You speakand blameless when You judge.

⁵Surely I was brought forth in iniquity;I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

⁶Surely You desire truth in the inmost being;You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

⁹Hide Your face from my sinsand blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,and renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹Cast me not away from Your presence;take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,and sustain me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,and sinners will return to You.

¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God,the God of my salvation,and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare Your praise.

¹⁶For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;a broken and a contrite heart,O God, You will not despise.

¹⁸In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;build up the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,in whole burnt offerings;then bulls will be offered on Your altar.